Hope
by Alyss Madigan
Summary: Eomer is dishearted and angry after being banished by Grima. This story takes place on the outskirts of Rohan, with an old friend of Eomer's. Just drabble.


_So, I decided to make this story a one shot. Not much of one if I do say so my self, but I LOVE the way I wrote it and didn't want to get rid of it._

_Remember, I am not J.R.R. Tolkein, nor am I Peter Jackson. I do not own LotR. _

_Rachel, Isaac and Mariah are mine._

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As much as riding came as naturally as breathing to the riders of Rohan, as much as they would have liked to have continued past the barren and unsheltered land they were in, after a day and a half of riding, the horses needed rest. The nearest village was a few miles to the west, but it was small, there was no possible way that it could support nearly two thousand fighting men. They were hungry and tired, and the horses wouldn't be able to hold much longer, Eomer had planned for this of course, so after they set up camp he broke some of his men up into small hunting groups; What ever they found was to be equally shared with everyone else.

Most were gone for several hours.

While those men were out hunting Eomer and four men went on ahead to the village he knew was just over the next fold, to get supplies that were unavailable in the wilderness. Leaving the horses behind it took them an hour on foot to reach the tannery where they would get new leather pouches for water and food; Eomer had the pouches for the food oiled to keep out the rain when it came. The leather pouches were put into large bags that two of Eomer's men would take back to camp. Next they went to the smithy and bought two large whetstones and five dozen arrows which Eomer sent back with the last two men, so that he could go to the butchers by himself. He went alone so he wouldn't have to listen to the envious groans of his men as they looked at the meat, Eomer could have bought pound or two, but thought better. The village needed every piece of meat. Opening the door Eomer had to weave his way through choice cuts that were hanging from the ceiling before he could get to where the butcher usually did his work. Several women were there calling out what they needed, but as soon as the big man behind the stone counter spotted Eomer he waved him to the back stairs.

He knew why the soldier was here.

Up the stairs and to the right, was a room filled with toys and small beds, the nursery. In the far corner just beside the shutters of a window, rocking on her rocking chair, sat a woman with dreaming eyes set behind long lashes, she looked up, her firm jaw set into a frown until she recognized who stood before her. "Eomer." She said with a relieved smile, she stood up, showing that she was carrying a bundle in her arms, Eomer went over to hug the women careful of her child. "Rachel. How is Isaac?" he asked letting her go and inquiring about her husband. Rachel's grey eyes saddened, "He is hard at work." her husband worked as a horse trainer. It wasn't an uncommon profession, but it usually stayed near Edoras where there were more talented trainers, out here there was no communication with the capital, no valuable things to give.

Maybe it_ was_ a good thing Isaac did what he did.

Eomer changed subjects quickly, "Who is this?" he asked pointing to the bundle in Rachel's arms, immediatley the woman brightened, if only a little, "This is Mariah. She is three months now." Unexpectedly she placed the pink faced baby girl in Eomer's arms, carefully the hardened warrior cradled the baby's head. She did not cry like he had expected, but opened her eyes and stared at him through green diamonds, Isaac's eyes. Eomer had been so fixed on the baby that he did not notice that Rachel had first turned to make sure her other children were still sleeping, then she made her way back to her rocking chair, sat down and fell asleep. Eomer was left alone with Mariah who was still inspecting him with curious eyes, he suddenly became uncomfortable. He did his best to rock the child back to sleep, Mariah laughed and cooed for a long while, but did eventually fall asleep. Eomer placed the child gently into her crib that was placed by her mother's rocking chair, then gave Rachel a peck on the forhead and left. He and Rachel had been friends when they were little, always playing in the palace, and when she moved away to marry Isaac they still kept in contact with eachother through letters. Eomer sighed, even with the two thousand men at his command, Rachel was the only friend he had right now, her and Eowyn whom he worried about every day. Now that worry was biting at him like an annoying fly as he marched back to camp with the pound of spices and salt (to preserve the game).

Upon arriving at the camp, the men asked what had taken him so long, then started to poke fun at him with love ballads. Eomer punched one particular soldier who had wrapped his blanket around his head like a veil and batted his eyes. But that did nothing to stifle the teasing however, it only increased when Rachel came to the camp, leading her brown mare, Ella by the reins.

"You left before I could tell you I've been wanting to say to you in person." She said later when they were well out of earshot, she continued quickly, "You have always been, in my eyes, the protector of Rohan. You are still living up to that name even though you have been banished. Grima hates you, only because he is a worm who loves the dark and you are a bright light in his black hole." Rachel placed a delicate hand, calloused over years of hard work, on Eomer's cheek, "I want you to know that Isaac and I are incredibly proud of you. That Eowyn is proud of you. That Rohan is proud of you." She smiled as she lowered her hand, "Though evil exists, and seems to be conquering left and right. As long as there is good in the world, in our own hearts, there will _always be hope._" She bowed and muttered Milord, then raced off on Ella.

Eomer blinked, stunned by her words and quick departure, but was roused when he heard whispers behind the tent closest to him.

His men saw him and started to run, one was too slow as Eomer threw a small rock at him, giving the soldier a bruise on his head, needless to say this poor man got no peace from his captain for a very long time.

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_I do hope you liked it. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, review and tell me what you thought!_

_God Bless _

_Alyss M._


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